That's a weird statistic -- and it's odd to be talking about a study from 11 years ago -- but here's how that happened.

A writer for Van Winkle's recently noticed his girlfriend was having more bad dreams, and she was waking up on her left side. He looked into it, found that 2004 study published in Sleep and Hypnosis and wrote about it.

RELATED: Take a peek at these sleeping tips

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Sleeping on one specific side could give you nightmares

Lavender

The scent of lavender is known to be very relaxing and can help you get to sleep at night.

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Shut off the screens

Avoid being on your computer, phone or e-reader before going to sleep. Studies have shown the use of these items before bed can decrease the quality of your sleep.

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Melatonin supplements

Taking sleeping pills sounds scary to many people, but melatonin supplements are like a sleep vitamin, giving you a little extra of the naturally produced hormone.

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Stick to a schedule

Going to sleep and waking at the same time every day helps your natural sleep/wake cycle. You sleep much better when you go to bed when actually drowsy and wake naturally at the same time each day.

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Exercise

Regular exercise, even as little as 20 mins a day can help you sleep better at night.

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Skip the afternoon nap

Taking a nap during the day can exasperate insomnia for many people.

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The study looked at 63 people. Forty-one were told to sleep on their right side, and 22 were told to sleep on their left. Then the people were interviewed about their dreams.

Right-side sleepers weren't off the hook, however. They reported having poorer-quality sleep.

So if you wake up from having a bad dream, consider just rolling over onto your other side.